Learning to Love Again
by Elphaba'sGirl
Summary: After learning of Fiyero and Glinda's engagement, a heartbroken Elphaba casts a desperate spell in an attempt to free herself from the vicious emotional pain of losing the only man she ever loved. AU. Fiyeraba.
1. Kind of Sort of Lost

**hello, my friends. Hello, followers of Picture Frame and East and West, as well as new readers. This is my new story.**

**Im really excited... Even though I've only written up until... Chapter one. An part of chapter two.**

**this first chapter is dedicated to EmeraldReine, because she's awesome and updated scarily fast today, and Ultimate Queen of Cliffies, because it's almost her birthday and I probably won't be updating until the special day is past. (Sorry, I couldn't get you a Fiyero...)**

**Disclaimer; if I owned wicked... Which I don't... Would I be writing wicked fanfiction? **

**Favorite lines?**

* * *

"How does it feel captain?"

"Frustrating, but I became Captain of the Guard to find her and I will find her."

"No, Captain. Being engaged! Congradulotions!"

Engaged.

Fiyero and Glinda.

Engaged.

Tears pricked Elphaba's eyes, but she blinked them away.

Well, what had she expected? Why did she even _care_? She didn't care.

But she _did_.

Oz, _why_ did she _care_? Had she thought that either if them would even _remember_ her? She was a _wicked witch_, and she'd do well to remember that.

Still, a cold-fingered hand wound slowly around her heart.

_Snap out of it, Elphaba, _she told herself sternly. _You're not that girl. They deserve each other._

Glinda's soft soprano filled her ears.

They were perfect together, she knew. He was perfect. She was perfect. And so they were perfect together.

Later that night, Elphaba pulled the Grimmerie roughly from her stack of books in her small home and began leafing through it. Hands trembling, she let the pages settle.

Through a veil of tears she wished she could stop from flowing onto her cheeks, she cast the spell.

Unlike other spells she'd cast before, it felt _wrong_. It felt like a mistake, yet she couldn't stop.

Her throat closed up as she tried to keep the tears back, and her vice broke as she finished the spell.

She was rather queasy afterward, but other than that she was fine, though, in hindsight, she should not have cast the spell so rashly.

Yet her tears did not slow.

She wanted them to stop. She wanted to be free of the emotions building up to suffocate. She didn't want to care. She _didn't_. But she _did_.

She didn't _want_ to know love, if it would only cause her pain.

She didn't want it anymore.

The words of the spell once again drifted between her lips, resonating in the chilled silence.

Seconds passed. Then minutes. An hour. She sat in silence, pain gripping her heart.

And then the spell took hold.


	2. Kind of Sort of Engaged

**hi guys! It's me again (though who else would it be, really?)**

**this next chapter is dedicated to Fiyero'sBoy, (nice screen name ;-) )for his awesome review. And of course thanks to all my reviewers, i think this is the most reviews I've gotten for a first chapter of a multichapter story! Idk, maybe picture frame was more, though.**

**Heres the next chapter, I hope you guys like it!**

* * *

He was engaged.

How was this possible?

Had he proposed? He didn't remember proposing.

But Glinda had a ring on her finger.

Yet he couldn't see himself buying it, not when he loved Elphaba, and not when it was so... Pink.

He'd been preoccupied, lately. After his promotion to Captain of the Guard, he'd focused all his time and energy on finding Elphaba. He hadn't even spoken to Glinda for a week, now, so how could he have proposed? He couldn't have. He wouldn't have. Had he?

He couldn't remember.

Should he remember?

Did Glinda remember? Silly question. Of course she remembered. Unless the blond had gone to her head.

He knocked smartly on Glinda's door that night. The engagement party had been over for a good two hours, and Glinda had retired to her chambers.

She emerged a few moments later, her hair damp and hanging straight down her back. She was not quite ready for her speech, which was to take place in a little over an hour, but was already dressed in an emerald green, empire waisted evening dress.

Glinda smiled dazzlingly at him. "Fifi! What a nice surprise."

"Glinda, I live in the same palace as you."

Glinda stared at him blankly. "Oh. Right."

He nodded. "Glinda, I need to talk to you. I-"

"Oh, I need to talk to you, too." She twirled around, her dress fanning out around her ankles. "I need your opinion on this dress. Does it say 'good', do you think? Or would a drop waist be more elegant?" It was green. Glinda had been wearing a lot of green, lately.

"Glinda, this is serious."

Glinda blinked her blue eyes. "Oh. Okay. Come in." She stepped aside and motioned for Fiyero to enter,

He hesitated. "I think I need to do this out here."

Glinda nodded and Fiyero took a breath.

"Look, Glinda, things have been crazy, lately. I've been stressed out, and I can see forgetting little things, but I think I'd remember proposing to you."

"It was an _understood_ proposal," she told him.

"Yes, well." He ran a hand through his wheat-blond hair. "Wow, Glin. This is... This is really hard. But...when you told everyone we were engaged... I wasn't... I wasn't happy. Glinda, I'm not in love with you."

Glinda's eyes welled with tears. "Fiyero, are you... Breaking up with me?"

"I- I'm afraid so."

"Fifi... Fifi, I'm still in love with you," she said pleadingly. She gripped his hand tightly in her own, then looked into his eyes. "Is it Elphaba?"

Fiyero's breath caught in his throat. "Glinda-"

"I knew it," she said sadly, but not angrily. "I've always known. Ever since Shiz."

"Glinda, I'm so sorry. I-"

She cut him off with a tender kiss. When she pulled away, the tears had leaked out of her eyes and onto her face. She thumbed his right cheekbone and shook her head. "Oz, I'm going to miss that." She chewed her lip. "Goodbye, Fiyero." She turned and started to retreat back into her rooms.

"Glinda-"

"Don't, Fiyero," she said softly. "I just... Go. I can't look at you right now."

"Glin-"

"Please, Fiyero. Just leave me alone."

The door closed behind her.

"Goodbye, Glinda," Fiyero whispered after her. As an afterthought, he added, "Glinda, there was a time... when I loved you. But that time isn't now. I was a different person, then, and I think you were, too."

Through the door, he heard Glinda's voice once more. "So was she."

**So... Favorite lines? Sorry you still don't know what the spell did.**


	3. Anger Management

**What's up guys? I'm back. Here's chapter three... sorry you don't get to find out what the spell did until chapter five...**

**Ravinsong; I didn't do any responses last time cuz my friend was breathing down my neck telling me to hurry it up and post the chapter already. And also I was afraid I'd give something away. Though to your comment about Oz the great and powerful; in wicked terms that is such a creepy movie. I like that idea for a spell, but that's not what Elphie did here.**

**Dont forget to vote on the most random poll ever on my profile!**

**wicked isn't mine any more than the sun is.**

* * *

How could he? How _dare_ he?

Glinda shook her head.

Why would he break up with her? She was _Glinda the Good_, after all.

"Lady Glinda, are you all right?"

Glinda looked up at the Wizard. "Ah, yes, I'm fine. Your Ozness."

It had been 24 hours since Fiyero and Glinda's break-up had become public knowledge.

Madame Morrible smiled a sugary smile. "My dear, I know this is difficult for you, and if there's anything we can do to make it easier, you let us know."

Glinda nodded grimly. "I suppose the most difficult part will be dealing with the public, but I don't think you can help with that." A coldness settled over her heart. "The best thing you can do for me is concentrate on finding El- the witch."

The Wizard nodded. "Yes, Captain Tiggular has been quite forefront in this witch hunt, but we've had rotten luck so far. Perhaps we're going about it the wrong way."

And the coldness settled around her heart, constricting and painful, but she spoke anyway.

"Her sister. Use her sister."

**Yeah, short chappie favorite lines? Next one is longer. **


	4. Silver Jeweled Shoes

**Okay, so the overall message last chapter was that Glinda is being really annoying. Yup. I gets it, it's a combination of Glin being upset that Fiyero broke up with her and the fact that she misses Elphaba.**

**this chapter is a bit longer. Next chapter you get to find out what the spell did. One reviewer guessed part of it...**

**Disclaimer; WICKED. NOT MINE. I NEVER SAID IT WAS.**

* * *

Nessarose was dead.

She'd been crushed by a house.

Fiyero didn't understand. The odds of a house falling on you were, like, eighty bazillion to one.

He and Glinda, despite relinquishing their mutual status as the golden couple of Oz, flew- by bubble, which Fiyero decided later was damaging to his reputation- to the site of the crash.

The two didn't speak on the way to Munchkinland. Glinda was very upset, her eyes wide and teary.

When they were nearly there, Fiyero broke the silence.

"Glinda, Nessarose is in a better place now."

Glinda chewed her bottom lip mercilessly, and blood began to bead on her pearly teeth.

After another moment of silence, Glinda spoke softly. "It's my fault, Fiyero."

"How in Oz is it your fault?"

The tears spilled over onto her cheeks. "I- I told Morrible to- to use Nessa to get to Elphaba."

Any scrap of sympathy Fiyero might have had for the blonde vanished in an instant.

"You were willing to sacrifice the lives of your _best friend_ and her _sister_? And why? Because you were angry that I told you the truth?"

"I didn't want Nessa to _die_!" Glinda wailed.

"Well, she did. And now Elphaba might too."

Glinda cried harder. "She won't die. She can't die!"

"If she does, it's your fault," Fiyero told her threateningly.

Now they had reached Nest Hardings, in Munchkinland, and Glinda's bubble alighted on the ground, popping an disintegrating into shimmering dust around them.

The blond witch wiped the tears from her eyes and took her wand in her hand. The sadness melted from her face.

"We are not done with this conversation," Fiyero growled in her ear.

Glinda nodded sadly. "I didn't mean for things to turn out this way, Fiyero." Then she plastered a ditzy smile on her face and walked toward where a young girl in a blue and white checked dress stood, staring at the house, which had two striped stocked clad legs sticking out from under it. On the feet of the crushed Eastern Witch were the silver shoes Frex had given Nessa years ago at the beginning of her first term at Shiz University. Glinda swallowed.

"Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?" The blonde asked, though it was painfully obvious that the witch at work here was Morrible.

The girl whirled around. "I- excuse me?"

"Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?" Glinda repeated.

Fiyero gagged.

The girl just looked confused. "Oh, no. I'm not a witch at all. I'm just a girl." She spoke with a strange accent that Fiyero couldn't quite place.

"Ah," Glinda said. She motioned to a small , furry black form at the girl's feet. "Is that the witch?"

"No," said the girl, scooping the furry thing into her arms. "This is my dog, Toto."

"I see. And you are?"

"Dorothy. Dorothy Gale."

Glinda nodded regally. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Dorothy and Master Dodo. I am Lady Glinda Arduenna Upland of the Upper Uplands in Gillikin, the Good Witch of the North. This is Prince Fiyero Liir Tiggular, Heir to the Vinkun throne and Captian of the Gale Force, and these," she motioned to the crowd that had gathered around the site, "are the people of Munchkinland, whom you have just freed from the bondage of the Wicked Witch of the East."

Dorothy looked around with wide eyes. "Oh. I- uh, pleased to meet you. I- I am from Kansas."

Glinda cocked her head. "Kansas. Is that a star?"

"No, it's a state. In the United States of America."

"The United States of America? Is that north of the Glikkus?"

"I- I'm not quite sure," Dorothy stuttered.

Glinda waved her wand in a fluid motion. "Well, in any case, welcome to Oz."

"To Oz?"

"To Oz." Glinda smiled dazzlingly. "And you are to be commended for your quick dispatch of the wicked witch."

How could she speak about Nessarose like that, when it was her fault she was dead in the first place?

"Oh, I am sorry," Dorothy said, "I didn't mean to kill anybody. I really just want to get back to Kansas."

The blond witch laughed a tinkling laugh. "Oh, but you must stay for the celebration!"

"I _am_ sorry, Lady Glinda, but I must be getting back home. I'm sure Auntie Em and Uncle Henry will be worried about me."

Glinda frowned slightly. "Well, I suppose. But here." She waved her wand, and the silver shoes on the crushed Nessarose's feet transferred to Dorothy's own. "A symbol of our gratitution, Miss Dorothy."

Dorothy smiled slightly. "Thank you, Lady Glinda, but right now I really do just want to get back home to Kansas."

Glinda nodded. "Well, I'm afraid I can't help you get back to your Kansas. But the Wizard of Oz- he's our leader, you know- he can!"

Oh, Oz, this little girl was in for a let down. What was Glinda doing?

Fiyero threw a glance around and caught sight of the ten Gale Force officer stationed here in case Elphaba made an appearance. His jaw tightened.

"Well, where is the Wizard?" Dorothy was asking.

Glinda smiled again. "He lives in the Emerald City."

"How do I get to the Emerald City?"

"Umm... Follow the Yellow Brick Road!" Glinda motioned to the road, and Dorothy turned toward it.

"Thank you, Lady Glinda! Just straight down the road?"

"That's right! Just take that one road the whole time!" Glinda waved as the girl and her small black dog made their way around a bend in the road.

"Oh, Oz, I hope they don't get lost." She chewed her lip uncertainly. "I am so bad at giving directions."

"You can say that again," Fiyero muttered.

"Hush." The blond witch turned back toward the house on top of the crushed Nessarose. Glinda wrapped her hand delicately around some wild flowers' stems and lay them before the house. "Nessa," she murmured.

Fiyero scoffed. "What a _touching_ display of grief." He glared at her. "Especially since it's you fault she's dead in the first place."

Glinda stiffened.

"You could have at least saved the shoes for Elphaba, so she'd have something to remember her _sister_ by," Fiyero growled.

The blonde whirled around to face him, her blue eyes filled with angry tears."Look around, Fiyero. She's not here. She's not coming. She doesn't _care_."

"Of course she _cares_," Fiyero snapped. "But she's smart enough not to endanger herself because of grief."

"Do you not remember Shiz, Fiyero? All the times Nessa was simply uncomfortable, and Elphaba would have done anything- _anything_- to keep her happy?"

"You said yourself, she's different, now," Fiyero reminded her.

"She _is_ different, Fiyero. She's not the person we knew at Shiz. Maybe you should try to understand that," the blonde said coldly.

"Is she were able to, she'd come," Fiyero said firmly.

"But maybe she's lost even that sense of _loyalty_. She never came to _us_, did she? Never once let us know she was okay. Never. Not _once_, Fiyero! It's been _three years_!"

"Maybe she couldn't," Fiyero offered, and Glinda was silent.

"I can't go back to the city," Fiyero said finally.

Glinda gritted her teeth. "Why not?"

"I have to find her. I-"

"You _love_ her," Glinda said acidly.

Fiyero nodded, unfazed. "I do."

"Well, then why don't you go follow the _farm brat_ down the Yellow Brick Road?" Glinda shouted.

The crowd of munchkins had dissipated now, leaving the former couple alone.

Fiyero's eyes grew cold. "Glinda, when I told you that you'd changed, I didn't think it was this much."

Glinda sniffed and began forming the bubble that would carry her back home. "Don't expect me to cover for you in the city."

"No. I wouldn't expect you to do anything that _good_."

Glinda clenched her jaw and took off.

**Yup. Smack down, Glinda. Favorite lines?**


	5. Forest of Fighting Trees

**alright. First of all I'd like to apologize; I know I promised youd find out what the spell did this chapter... But I split chapter five into two chapters and so now it's in the next one! Sorry.**

**second; I'm really creating my own Dorothy in this. Shes about 14 years old, and I'm making her awesome. She's a little bit more like the canon Dorothy this chapter, but some stuff changes later about her... Don't immediately dislike her please!**

**third; next chapter we get to see some familiar faces (cough cough Elphaba cough cough cowardly lion cough)**

**fourth; last chapter I tried to make a point that NESSAS SHOES ARE STILL SILVER. This means that Elphaba didn't visit Nessa. There is no tin man. Also, the shoes aren't magical... So how can dorothy get home? **

**If I owned it, don't you think I'd tell you?**

**heres the next installment;**

* * *

It was ten o'clock a.m. Ozian standard time when Dorothy and Toto set out on the Yellow Brick Road, headed for the Emerald City, and- indirectly- Kansas.

By around one o'clock, Toto whimpered when he walked, and so Dorothy carried him. But as six rolled around and Dorothy's feet began to ache from walking in the stiff silver shoes, she moved a little ways off the road and sat down.

They were still in Munchkinland; the farmland was proof enough, but it seemed to be thinning and there were scattered apple trees.

Soon the rows of corn thinned out completely, and the trees became the dominant scenery.

By six thirty, Dorothy was quite hungry, so she once again stepped off the road to pick an apple form a tree.

She chose a bright red apple from among the branches and gave it a gentle tug.

"How dare you?"

Dorothy whirled around to see who was spoken, but saw no one.

"Who said that?"

Toto let out a high pitched bark, and Dorothy picked a second apple for him.

"What kind of person are you, stealing from an innocent tree?" The voice demanded. Something hard hit Dorothy's head, and she turned back around in time to see the tree's branch move back like an arm and throw another apple at her.

"Oh, goodness! Dorothy exclaimed, raising her hands to protect her head from the rain of apples.

"That'll teach you to steal." This was followed by a wooden laugh.

Dorothy sniffled. "I was only trying to get something to eat. I've been traveling all afternoon and I'm ever so hungry."

"Well, you should look before you pick fruit; everybody knows that." A sawdusty tsk grated on Dorothy's ears. "Now, move along,and maybe you'll think twice before you steal again.

Dorothy tearily gathered Toto into her arms and turned back toward the Yellow Brick Road.

But the trees had moved and now the foliage was so thick that's he couldn't get through without an ax to cut it away entirely. So she turned again, this time in the direction she had been traveling in while still on the road. But it, too, was now blocked, as was the way back to Munchkinland.

Dorothy kicked at the trunk of a tree. Harsh laughter rang out around her, and her vision shimmered with tears.

"Stubborn trees!" She sniffed again, and stuck her chin in the air and turned toward the only available path, which lead farther back into the forest.

After a good ten minutes of walking, Dorothy turned right and attempted to find her way back to the Yellow Brick Road, but only managed to get herself more disoriented and hopelessly lost.

Soon the Ozian sun began to sink in the sky, and it grew darker.

After another half hours walking, Dorothy tiredly leaned against a tree, Toto laying at her feet.

She must have dozed off, at some point, for the next thing she knew was that it was perfectly dark out, and her stomach was growling loudly.

There was a shining sphere of fruit hanging before her face, and she wondered if she was desperate enough to risk another confrontation with the tree.

She rapped her knuckles on the trunk. "Hello? Is anyone in there? _Hello_?" There was no response. "_Hello_?"

By this time, Dorothy felt very silly speaking to a tree which obviously wasn't going to respond. She quickly reached out and plucked the fruit from the branch, stepping back almost immediately after.

When nothing was thrown at her, she picked a second fruit for Toto. She held it out to the small black dog, but he only threw his head back and sniffed the air. Iphis stubby tail began to wag, and he started to run even farther into the forest.

"Toto!" Dorothy called, and ran after him, fruit in hand.

She caught up with the dog at a small cottage, where Toto was whining at the door.

"What's this, Toto?" Dorothy asked.

The dog barked in response and scratched at the door. Dorothy cautiously reached out and knocked. There was no answer. She knocked again. Still no answer.

Perhaps, Dorothy thought, the house was abandoned. Perhaps they could spend the night here.

The little girl pushed the door open. It was as dark inside as it was outside.

Dorothy could make out the faint outline of a kerosene lamp on a small table. She lit the wick with a match from the book lying next to it and held it up so that she could see her surroundings.

There were four bare walls, the table, and a pile of blankets in the corner.

There was a large amount of dust and dirt on the ground as well.

Dorothy screamed when she saw the body on the floor.

**So... Do you think, if talking animals in Oz are Animals, then are talking trees called Trees? hmm...**

**favorite lines?**


	6. Lions and Witches and Dogs, oh my!

**here it is! The chapter you've all been waiting for! ta da!**

**Musicgal3; I donated this chapter to your Reveal The Results Of Elphaba's Spell Now To Prevent Musicgal3 From Melting Fund. **

**Fiyero'sBoy; there's going to be more on Fiyero and Glinda later, in chapter four it was more of the bitter side of it, but chapter I think twelve of thirteen is going to be them being nicer to each other.**

**okay, I was surprised at some of the guesses for whose body it was last chapter... If you read picture frame it was kinda clear, I thought... But maybe I'm better at writing Cliffies than I thought! (Ultimate Queen of Cliffies; I've typed your username so often on here that autocorrect naturally capitalizes "Cliffies" whenever I write it, even separate from your name...)**

**i have written up to chapter 11 now, just so you know.**

**theres a line from Oz the great and powerful in here. Virtual cake to anyone who can find it!**

**heres the next chapter**

* * *

Dorothy's scream mingled with a sudden cry that was partially animalistic roar and partially human screeching.

Dorothy tore her gaze from the body and looked to the newcomer; a very large- and very sad, judging by the tears in his eyes- Lion.

This, of course, since Dorothy knew nothing of the Animals in Oz, only made her scream louder.

Toto was effectively investigating the fruit Dorothy had dropped in the ground in her surprise.

The Lion squeezed in through the door, making the hut sway dangerously from side to side as he did so.

Dorothy picked up the lamp and brandished it as a weapon.

"Stay back, you mean old lion-cat, you!" She shouted.

The Lion fell back onto his haunches, lacing his massive laws over his eyes. "Don't hurt me!" He begged. "I only want to help Miss Elphaba!"

"Who's Miss Elphaba?"

"I won't tell you that she's here, because she told me not to. Oh, but now I've gone and told you! I'm a failure! Go ahead! Run me through! Oh, I'm so ashamed!" The great cat sadly hung his head.

"Now, see here, Mr Lion-"

"My name is Brrr! You may as well know, if you're going to condemn me!"

Dorothy swallowed. "Ah. Alright then, Mr Brrr. I really don't know what you're talking about or who this Elphaba is, but I assure you I was only looking for a place to spend the night. I don't suppose you live here, do you?"

"Do I look like I live here? I can barely fit through the door! Oh, goodness, what's that?" The Lion's tail twitched and he backed cautiously away from the body on the floor.

Dorothy knelt beside it, putting her finger to the throat.

"Now, don't you worry, Mr Brrr, she's just unconscious."

"Oh, good, she's unconscious." Brrr paused. "Oh no!"

Dorothy turned around surprised. "What?"

"She's unconscious!"

Dorothy rolled her eyes. "Now, look here. I need you to calm down, because I can't wake her up on my own I don't know how!"

The great cat sucked in a breath and held it for a moment before exhaling and grinning ridiculously.

"I have just the thing."

Dorothy nodded vigorously. "What?"

"But... It's on the other side of the room."

"What does that have to do with anything?" The girl demanded.

The Lion looked down at his paws, ashamed. "I'm afraid if unconscious people," he whispered.

Dorothy blinked. "Oh. Okay. Well, you just tell me where it is."

Brrr nodded his large head. "I- I think it's in that bag."

Dorothy crossed the room and found the bag.

"There should be some... Some..." He scrunched up his feline face.

Dorothy withdrew her hand from the bag. "Smelling salts?"

"Yes. Yes that's the one."

The small jar of salts was marked with four letters: B, R, R, R, the same as the Lion's name.

"Are these yours?" The girl asked.

Brrr nodded.

"But why do you need smelling salts?" Dorothy queried.

The large cat's whiskers drooped and he lowered his eyes in his version of a blush. "I- uh... I tend to have... Fainting spells."

Dorothy nodded and dismissed this revelation, as she'd already witnessed stranger happenings since arriving in Oz.

She once again knelt beside the body, unscrewing the top of the bottle and waving it under the person's nose.

In this light, the skin looked absolutely green.

The shallow breathing came deeper, and a pair shockingly beautiful, starry dark eyes fluttered open. The woman reached up and touched her head, wincing as she did so. She coughed slightly and looked up at Dorothy and the Lion.

"Hello," Dorothy said brightly

"Hello," the woman echoed slowly

"Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I think so." She looked up at Brrr, who was a good deal larger than most people, but nearly double the size of the woman lying on the ground.

"Hello, Miss Elphaba. Have you hit your head?"

The woman- Elphaba- blinked slowly. "I-are you a lion? Oh, Oz. My head is spinning."

"Yes, I'm a Lion," Brrr told her. "It's me. Brrr?"

"Brrr?"

The lion nodded. "Yes."

"Oh." Elphaba's face contorted in a very strange position. "Oh." She looked to Dorothy. "And who are you?"

"I'm Dorothy Gale."

Elphaba nodded. "what-what happened to me?"

Dorothy shrugged. "We found you here. I assure you that I was only looking for a place to spend the night. I-"

By now Toto had decided that he'd been ignored long enough, and jumped up on top of Elphaba, barking madly.

Elphaba yelped in surprise and backed away from the yapping dog.

"Oh my! Is that a dog?"

Dorothy scrambled to collect the dog and held him away from Elphaba.

"I'm terribly sorry, Miss Elphaba. I-I think he likes you." Toto was wagging his tail and attempting to squirm out of Dorothy's arms. His tongue- which was much longer than it should have been for a dog his size- was handing out of his mouth.

Elphaba was staring at him with wide eyes. "I-I-okay. I'm… Okay." Then she looked confused. "Why did you call me… _Elphaba_?"

Dorothy blinked. "Isn't that your name?"

Elphaba considered this. "I- I don't know."

Brrr stepped forward. Elphaba scooted back.

"Do you remember me?" The lion asked her.

Elphaba shook her head. "I don't." She cocked her head. "Should I?"

"you rescued me as a cub."

Her raven hair fell over her face like a curtain. "Did I?"

Brrr nodded. "You did."

"Oh." She looked to Dorothy. "And should I know you as well?"

"No," the girl was quick to reply. "I only just arrived in Oz today." She frowned. "Or would that be yesterday?"

Elphaba nodded. "Well, what else should I remember?" Neither Dorothy nor the lion responded. "Brrr?"

Brrr turned away. "What is the last thing you remember?"

Elphaba thought for a moment. "The only thing I remember is waking up here only moments ago."

"Well, I wouldn't want to stress your memory-and I'm so afraid of stress, you know-so I think merely seeing our surroundings and myself in enough for now."

Elphaba cocked her head. "Afraid? I thought lions were fierce."

"That's a vicious stereotype. There are all kinds of Lions, just as there are all kinds of people. I myself happen to be a bit of a coward." The large cat turned to Dorothy. "Now, why are you here again?" He asked, attempting to change the subject.

Dorothy's mind immediately returned to her own problems. "Oh! I'm Traveling to the Emerald City, to see the wizard, so he can send me back home, but I'm afraid I got dreadfully lost along the way, and I wound up here."

"You're off to see the wizard?" The lion repeated. Dorothy nodded. "The wonderful Wizard of Oz!"

"May I come as well?" Asked Elphaba, in her sweet feminine voice.

"Why?" Brrr asked suspiciously.

She shrugged. "Perhaps he could give me my memory back. And, oh, I know it's difficult to miss something you don't remember having in the first place, but I do. Oh, please let me travel with you, Miss Dorothy."

The little girl clapped her hands together. "Oh, I think that's a marvelous idea! You're so welcome to come along. And lion? You can come, too."

"Now, why would I want to come?" Brrr asked.

"Well, perhaps the wizard could give you courage," Elphaba offered.

"Do you think he could?" Asked Brrr.

"Of course!" Dorothy exclaimed. "He's the Wizard of Oz!"

Elphaba smiled. "Then I guess we're off to see the Wizard!"

**favorite lines? And who wants Yero back next chapter! *raises hand* I do!**


	7. Along the Yellow Brick Road

**Hullooo my friends... Uhmmm... I don't really have much to say this time (partly cuz I had it all typed up then my computer spazzed and I had to start over)**

**this chapter is dedicated to ravinsong for her awesome review! **

**Disclaimer; Don't wish. Don't start. Wishing only wounds the heart. There's a man I know! He owns wicked. I'm not that girl**

* * *

Fiyero had left Munchkinland- on horseback- only a day after Dorothy had, also traveling on the Yellow Brick Road, but he planned to detour at Restwater and head for the Vinkus.

He crossed the boarder of Munchkinland in record time and headed through the Forest of Fighting Trees.

Soon, however, the talking trees grew scattered and were placed intermittently among regular ones, and then the foliage came to grow thicker as Fiyero rode into the forest.

Now, he had been riding in this fashion for a substantial amount of time, and was accustomed to the noise of a city after the past few years, but now the incessant silence seemed all the more apparent, and it vaguely reminded the prince of his homeland.

Soon, though, the silence of the forest was broken by the sounds of argument.

"Can you not at least try to get along, Brrr?" Pleaded a high pitched voice.

"I can't help it," whined another voice, this one deeper and distinctly animalistic. "He was _looking_ at me."

"He's a _dog_!" Cried the first voice.

"He has shifty eyes," the second complained.

Now Fiyero was rounding a bend in the road, and came to see a familiar figure- the girl Dorothy- speaking with a large Lion.

"He's a tenth your size, Brrr!"

"But I'm so afraid of things a tenth my size!"

Dorothy looked like she was going to say more, but happened to look over and see Fiyero.

The Vinkun boy jumped off his horse and tied a loose knot in the reins to secure him to a tree.

"Miss Dorothy Gale, of Kansas." He bowed slightly and looked to the dog in her arms. "And Master Dodo."

"It's Toto, actually," Dorothy said blandly.

Fiyero cocked his head. "Is it? I apologize."

Dorothy nodded. "You're forgiven, Prince Fiyero."

Fiyero smiled charmingly. "You remember me?"

"Yes."

Any other voice filled his ears, one that made his heart beat faster.

"Well, it's not coming off. It's so _strange_, I can't even feel-" Elphaba broke off as she caught sight of Fiyero.

And Fiyero saw her.

She was beautiful.

She was tired and much too thin, and there was a scar tracing her cheekbone, but she was _so_ beautiful. She was holding a rag to her wrist, which was red and aggravated, and her eyes were vacant and so much more... He guessed _innocent_ was the right word.

"Elphaba," Fiyero breathed.

She blinked. "Yes?"

He took a step toward her. She flinched.

"Elphie- Fae." He held out his arms as if to hug her.

She stared at him. A light wind blew her hair back from her face. His fingers itched to touch it.

He reached out as if to stroke her cheek, but she jumped back, her eyes widening with an almost feral fear.

Fiyero frowned. "Elphaba?" He walked toward her, and she tensed and clamped her lips together.

The Vinkun boy reached out toward her hair, his fingers getting only a few centimeters away from it before she yelped and leaped backward once again.

"Don't _touch_ me!" She screamed, and Dorothy coldly out herself between the two of them.

"Alright, that's enough," she snapped.

"What-?"

"You just don't know when to stop, do you?"

Had the circumstances been different, Fiyero might have laughed at the little girl before him, boiling with rage.

"You don't understand; I know her," Fiyero argued.

But Dorothy didn't budge. "Not anymore."

"I don't understand."

"She's lost her memory," the girl snapped.

"What do you mean-"

Dorothy shook her head and turned back to Elphaba.

Fiyero felt warm, damp breath on his neck.

"I'm Brrr," said the Lion.

Fiyero jumped. "Sweet Oz!"

Brrr screamed in response. "Oh, don't _do_ that! I'm so afraid of angry people!"

Now the sun was beginning to set on the day of travel, and Dorothy and Elphaba were sitting before a small fire, leaving Fiyero and Brrr out of their earshot.

"Come on, Lion, don't be afraid," Fiyero said soothingly.

"I'm not afraid!" said Brrr, trembling. "Alright, maybe I am, actually."

Fiyero rolled his eyes.

Brrr seemed to compose himself. "So, you know Miss Elphaba?"

Fiyero nodded.

"Are you a member of her pride?"

"Her pride? Umm... Sure."

Brrr smiled a huge toothy smile. "Are you Miss Elphaba's mate?"

Fiyero looked over at the green girl, now lying in the ground with her eyes closed gently in sleep. "Not yet."

Now the Lion and the prince settled down, Fiyero resting his head on Brrr's side like a pillow.

He mulled over the latest developments in his head as he drifted off.

He'd found Elphaba.

She didn't seem to know him.

That night, Fiyero Tiggular, prince of the Vinkus, cried himself to sleep for the first time in three years.

**favorite lines? **


	8. The Lion Discovers Truths and Lies

**hey guys! What's up? Thanks to all for your awesome reviews! Just so you know, I went back and edited the last chapter, and I had Dorothy inform Yero that Elphaba had lost her memories, and I added a couple more things. The main thing though is that YERO IS UP TO SPEED. YAY.**

**This chapter isn't my favorite... I'm really happy with the way nine turned out though so I'll probably be posting that one soon too. Probably today.**

**Disclaimer; My name is not Gregory Maguire. It is not Stephan Schwartz. It is not Winnie Holtzman. It is not L. Frank Baum. Just so you know. Therefore saying I own wicked would be big fat lie!**

**So here's the next chapter, hope you like it;**

* * *

Fiyero woke up around 2 AM, drenched in a cold sweat and breathing hard.

he ran his hand through his wet hair and sighed.

"Did you have a night-fright?"

"Sweet Oz, Brrr!"

The Lion put his massive paws over his ears. "Don't yell, Mister Yero! I'm so afraid of yelling!"

"Sorry," Fiyero sighed. There was a moment of quiet. "Hey, Brrr?"

"Yes?" Whimpered the great Cat.

"How much of Elphaba's...story do you know?"

Brrr considered. "I know that she helps Animals, because she's just _good_ like that. And I know that she rescued me as a Cub."

Fiyero started. "You're _that_ Lion? Oh, Oz. I was there. I remember. We took you out into the forest, and oh, Lurline, Brrr, that was when I fell in love with her."

Brrr blinked his large eyes. "You helped her save me? Then I owe you my gratitution."

Fiyero nodded. "Don't mention it. Without you, I'd have never realized that while I was dancing through life, I'd forgotten how to walk."

Brrr was quiet for a moment. "I- I don't know what that means."

Fiyero waved it off. "So, tell me, Brrr, have you heard of the witch of the west?"

"Oh yes," Brrr said, nodding vigorously. "And I'm _so_ afraid of witches. Is it true she drinks Lions' blood?"

Fiyero blinked. "Um, no. That's not true. But you don't know who she is?"

"No. But she seems like a Theodora."

"A Theodora?"

The Lion shrugged. Well, as much as a lion can shrug. "It just seems like a witchy name."

So, Brrr pretty much only knew a shadow of what was going on in Oz.

"Where are you traveling?" Fiyero asked

"The Emerald City. We are going to see the Wonderful Wizard of Oz."

So he also didn't know that the Wizard was an annoying, no good, lying, cheating, rat-man monarch without a brain, heart, or pretty much any other vital organ. Interesting.

See, this was why the Vinkus usually tried to keep out of the rest of Oz's political situation.

"Why do you need to see the Wizard?" Fiyero asked.

"Miss Dorothy wants to go home, back to Can-zas. Miss Elphaba wishes to regain her memories, and as for myself, I want to ask the Wizard for courage."

Fiyero sighed again. "Brrr, I don't know how to tell you this, but the Wizard is a fraud."

"A what?"

"A fraud. A fake. He's a liar."

"Oh goodness! And I'm so afraid of liars."

Fiyero nodded. "And he wants to hurt Elphaba, so do you see why we can't go to him?"

"I do see!" Cried the Lion. "But where shall we go instead?"

"The Vinkus," Fiyero said immediately. "My parents will welcome us, I know."

The Lion nodded. "Well, I'm not sure how you're going to convince Miss Dorothy of this, but I'm game.

Fiyero breathed a sigh of relief. At least he had one ally.

Soon first light lit the sky, rousing Dorothy before Elphaba, but soon both girls were awake,

They chattered quietly, as girls often do, as they prepared to travel again that day. According to Brrr's guess, they should reach Mockbeggar Hall and bearable to stay in a town near there that night, but of course he was a Lion, and so no one could tell how accurate his estimate was.

Dorothy glared at Fiyero. "Are you still here?"

Fiyero rolled his eyes. "No. Of course I'm here."

Dorothy's jaw tightened. "Well, if you're going to insist on sticking around, you may as well make yourself useful," she shoved a large bundle at him. "Here. Tie this into your horse. That way we don't have to carry it."

Fiyero shook his head. "Look, Dorothy, I think we should talk."

The girl remained stonily silent.

Fiyero nervously ran a hand through his hair. "Okay. Um. I know you're going to the Emerald City, to see the Wizard. But, uh, the thing is... You can't... Do that."

Dorothy huffed. "And why not?"

"The Wizard," Fiyero said slowly. "Is a fraud. He's not a wizard at all. He has no powers, and he can't send you home."

The Kansan girl pouted, which was very unbecoming on her features, which were still in that adolescent phase between childish and mature. "No. You're wrong. the Wizard is _good_. Glinda the Good Witch _told_ me so." She took a deep breath and was back to her normal- well, "normal" was maybe a stretch- expression. "And why should I take _your_ word over Glinda's?"

Fiyero sighed. "Because I'm telling the truth. Look, the Wizard _was_ good for Oz, at one time, but he's become corrupt and possibly insane. You have to listen to me."

Dorothy crossed her arms. "And where would we go instead?"

"The Vinkus. We'd detour at Restwater, which is near Mockbeggar Hall anyway.

Dorothy's eyes hardened. "You've got this all planned out, haven't you? Well, how am I going to get home? How will Elphaba get her memories back? And Brrr. How will he get his courage?"

"The Wizard couldn't give you those things even if he'd be willing to in the first place, but perhaps we could figure something out in Riverra- that's the capital of the Vinkus."

Dorothy clenched her jaw. "Can you prove that the Wizard is a fraud?"

"Uh... No? You just have to take my word for it."

Dorothy shook her head. "I knew it."

"Why is it that you need proof now that I'm telling you that he's a liar, but you openly accepted Glinda's claims that he is good?"

The little girl stared at him for a long minute. "You know... I believe you. It's moronic. I'll probably regret it later. But I believe you."

Fiyero grinned from ear to ear.

"This doesn't mean I like you,' Dorothy snapped.

"Thank Oz."

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Fiyero looked sheepishly to Elphaba. She stared blankly back at him.

"You're lying," she whispered.

Fiyero blinked. "No, Elphaba, I promise it's the truth-"

"You're _lying_!" Elphaba shrieked, and tears spilled over onto her cheeks. "The Wizard is _wonderful_!"

And Fiyero, who had never been one for thinking, understood.

The fact that the Wizard was wonderful was one of the only things Elphaba knew. If that one thing, which she considered a firmly based fact, was a lie, she would have no idea if anything was ever true. Not to mention that she didn't really trust Fiyero in the first place.

She turned away and walked after Dorothy and Brrr down the Yellow Brick Road.

The four- well, five, counting Toto- traveled out oftener forest within two hours, and during that time, Fiyero analyzed this new Elphaba.

She was- ironically- more open, and Fiyero couldn't decide if that was good thing or a bad thing. She laughed more easily; and it was such a pretty laugh. It was sweet and perfecta and completely unlike the one theta had become her signature wicked witch cackle. But she also cried easier. There were times when she'd merely look over at Brrr and burst into tears, because she couldn't remember him and knew she should.

She was painfully cold to Fiyero himself, however, and even seemed to avoid Brrr at times, but was constantly sweet to Dorothy and her annoying black yippy ball of fuzz she called a dog.

Fiyero often cried himself to sleep now. He cried tears for Elphaba, for her lost memories, and for his own lonely heart.

**Soo... Yeah, that's that. I feel like that was a really choppy chapter. Oh well. Favorite lines?**


	9. Someone Screams

**Sooo... Hi. Here I am again. You're cursed. Hehe.**

**Ultimate Queen of Cliffies; yeah, OtGaP is REALLY scary from a wicked perspective. Then there's the fact that HE IS AN EVIL LYING TWIT. That doesn't come across on the movie, though his lack of brains does kinda.**

**Ravinsong; I chose Theodora instead of Evanora because it's the name of the Western Witch in OtGaP. I was originally going to have it be a reference to the Oz books and use Mombi or Tattypoo, but I just thought that was weird. **

**This chapter is short, but it's a bit of character development for Dorothy (there will be some HUGE changes to her character later on)**

**Anywho; here's the next chapter!**

* * *

The nightmares had been plaguing Dorothy ever since her arrival in Oz. Every night, sometimes more, they came to her, often waking her.

It was on one such occasion, on the night after their third day of travel, that she sat bolt upright around 4 AM.

Brrr had been wrong; it was taking much longer than a day to reach Restwater. Dorothy wished for a warm bed and a strong roof over her head, not that that would stop her nightmares, but it would make her feel a bit safer.

Dorothy let out a breath and watched it float away on the chilled air.

"Dorothy?" Came a tired voice.

Dorothy jumped. "Elphaba! I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"

Elphaba shook her head and few the thin blanket she was clutching closer to herself. "No. Is something wrong?"

Dorothy was about to shake her head- she'd already decided that it wouldn't do for her to Brrr, and Fiyero would hold it against her- but she felt inexplicably close to the green-skinned girl, despite having known her only a short time.

"I had a nightmare."

"Oh. What about?"

Dorothy hesitated. "You promise not to tell?"

Elphaba nodded.

"I- it was about when I came here. To Oz, I mean. My house was dropped out oftener sky, you know, and it crushed the Wicked Witch of the East." Dorothy hugged her knees to her chest. "But, just before it hit the ground, I- I heard her scream. She squeezed her eyes shut.

Elphaba was looking at her attentively. "The Witch?"

"Yes. And- and it was such a terrible scream. Anguished and chilling and awful. And I- I can't get away from it. I feel like, if I killed her, does that make me wicked, too?"

Elphaba considered. "I don't think it makes you wicked. After all, the fact that your house landed on her wasn't your fault; you couldn't control it, and you _have_ got a conscience about it. And... She was wicked, right? So, maybe it was fate."

Dorothy kept her eyes shut. "But her _scream_, Elphaba. No one... No one should have to scream like that."

"Not even a wicked witch?" Elphaba asked.

"Not even a wicked witch."

**Favorite lines? Sorry it was so short.**


	10. Regarding Restwater

**Yo, guys. i have written another chapter. Shocking, I know. **

**Musicgal3; to your review for ch 8, cuz I forgot to respond to it. The line about Fiyero dancing but forgetting how to walk was talking about how Elphaba's changed him, and he gets all metaphorical but then Brrr is just like "I don't know what that means..." I don't know why I found that so funny... **

**Sooooo... heres the next chapter...**

* * *

Most of the days of travel were spent walking- and occasionally skipping, at Brrr's suggestion- down the Yellow Brick Road.

There was not much talk- save Toto's annoyingly constant barking- and this caused Fiyero to resort to thinking.

He had effectively changed their course away from the Emerald City, and now his biggest problem was to keep them out of big towns, as he wasn't really game to explain to Elphaba that she was considered a wicked witch.

Oh, he'd certainly thought about telling her. There were times when he had to physically restrain himself to keep from spilling everything about her past just to be able to tell her he loved her, but after seeing how she was with Brrr, he couldn't do that to her.

And so he settled for being her silent guardian angel.

The Vinkus was- literally- a very colorful place. The people there had a wide variety of ethnicities and skin colors; tan, lighter for visitors and slightly darker for natives, red for the Quadling people, and some had so many tattoos that their skin appeared purple, blue, or even pink. There, green would simply be one more color amid hundreds.

Not to mention the fact that the cities as far west as Riverra hadn't even heard of the Wicked Witch of the West (ironic, as the Vinkus was the western part of Oz. Fiyero considered it an omen). The cities near to he boarder (Tiberya and Alton being the most prominent) would be the only ones where they'd have to watch their backs, and even there Fiyero's status would most likely be able to get them out of any trouble.

No, it'd be the towns near the Emerald City that they'd need to watch out in.

Fiyero's biggest worry was Restwater. He'd already spent an hour contemplating it (which he no longer found so miraculous) when they began traveling the day Brrr insisted they'd reach Restwater by the end of.

Dorothy's chattering now consisted of enthused remarks regarding the promise of a warm bed and bath. Brrr, meanwhile, complained of being "so afraid" of virtually everything in existence.

Elphaba, contrary to her former self, remained silent, though she was very thin and often hungry, made worse by the fact that she could remember nothing of what had happened to her.

Fiyero took it as his personal duty to fill awkward silences with pointless chatter. He was quite good at it.

But now he was constantly worrying about Restwater and what would happen there.

It was when they were about two hours away from the city that Fiyero desperately faked tripping during one of Brrr's skipping episodes.

Despite his claims that it was sprained, Dorothy was reluctant to stop for the day. It was four o'clock, standard Ozian time, and they should have been be able to reach Restwater by six if they hurried. The Kansan girl wanted him to ride the horse, and she was so anxious to reach civilization that she was fine with carrying a pack on her back if need be.

Fiyero's ally was, surprisingly, Elphaba. She argued that were it herself, or Brrr, or even Toto that were injured, Dorothy would stop, and that they'd all do the same for her.

And so it was that they built up a campfire and lay down around it by eight o'clock, user close enough to Restwater that it wouldn't make sense to spend the following night there.

Fiyero didn't fall asleep straight away. He watched a restless Toto pace near Dorothy on the opposite side of the fires smoking remains and tried to regulate his breathing to match Brrr's steady snores.

Elphaba slept just within his line of sight, the tip of Brrr's tail clutched to her chest as a small child clutched a stuffed toy.

It was one of the times Fiyero desperately warned to tell her that he loved her.

But he couldn't.

He crawled closer to her, careful not to wake any of his companions, and pressed a kiss to her soft, dark, head.

In her sleep, she tilted her head up to look at him, a small smile gracing her emerald lips.

"Sleep well, my Fae," he whispered.

**Yeah, so this was a filler chapter. Next chapter is Restwater. Most of the story takes place after they reach Riverra. **

**Favorite lines? I probably won't post again till Wednesday at the earliest, but I WILL BE WRITING. Just not posting. So yeah. **


	11. Restwater's Challenges

**hey guys. Sorry for not updating in like a week... **

**Ravinsong; You're not a failure! Never say that again.**

**Nia; sorry, the whole point of this story is that she doesn't have her memories... It might be a while...**

**thanks to you two for reviewing! I think I lost a lot of reviewers lately...**

**also does anyone know Melenas maiden name?**

**Here's the chapter! Next one is CRUCIAL to the plot. Not this one so much. Next time.**

* * *

The next morning dawned cloudy and grey, with the promise of rain, and colder than it had been the past few days.

It was the first time since leaving Elphaba's hut in the woods that they were grateful for the packs they'd brought with them and loaded onto Fiyero's horse, which were full of the miscellaneous items they'd found in the cottage.

This included a few long black cloaks- exactly the kind Fiyero remembered Elphaba wearing over her thick dress while running from his men- and a pair of hiking boots (which Dorothy promptly exchanged for the Eastern Witch's silver slippers, which she complained hurt her feet). So the group pulled on the extra layers over their clothes (well, Dorothy and Elphaba did. Fiyero was already wearing his heavy Gale Force jacket and Brrr was... Well, a Lion).

The Yellow Brick Road, being solidly made of yellow brick, did not get muddy when the rain fell, but there were potholes along the way that filled with water. This slowed their progress, but not as much sat he mud would have.

Elphaba had pulled the hood of her cloak over her head to keep dry, and though Fiyero said nothing, he was grateful that it shielded her green (or, well, partially green, as there were now aggravated red patches where she'd tried to get it off) skin from view.

The group reached Restwater by 10 AM, and it was then that Fiyero encountered a problem; Dorothy insisted on eating a "real meal" in a "real restaurant".

Lost in thought trying to come up with a way out of this, Fiyero didn't notice Elphaba flip her hood of as she tilted her head back to look at the cloudy Ozian sky.

Someone screamed.

"Lurline save us! It's the Wicked Witch of the West!"

Fiyero was fighting his way toward Elphaba in an instant.

A big burly man missing one eye grabbed onto her arm with one hand and moved the other to her throat. Beside him, another man- about 25 years old- had caught an elderly woman who'd collapsed in a dead faint and was holding a knife in his other hand.

Fiyero was still trying to force his way through the crowd, driven by the look of pure terror on Elphaba's face, when a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

"In the name of Goodness, stop!"

Collectively, the people turned to look at Glinda, who'd just landed in her bubble with a faint popping sound.

She was wearing a feminine, pink, empire waisted gown, and looked much more like Galinda Upland (of the Upper Uplands) than she did Glinda the Good.

The man holding Elphaba inclined his head slightly. "My Lady Glinda. We've caught the wicked witch!"

Glinda's gaze flickered to Elphaba, whose eyes were full of tears. The Northern Witch waved her wand (not her usual silver one. This one was gold) in motioning to the emerald skinned girl.

"_Look_ at the woman you are arresting. Look into her _eyes_. Does she look like a wicked witch to you?"

The man let out a low growl, and Elphaba whimpered.

"Lady Glinda, just look at her _skin_. This is the witch of the west."

"_No_. No, the Western Witch is an old hag; she is but a _girl_."

"Lady Glinda," said a woman, stepping forward, "how many people with green skin can there be?"

"You live in a world of witches, wizards, talking Animals, and people composed entirely of puzzle pieces. How hard is it to believe that there might be more than one woman with green skin?" Glinda let this sink in. "Now, release her!"

The man with the eye patch, still grumbling, released Elphaba and pushed her forward, and she fell to her knees at Glinda's feet.

The crowd immediately stepped back from her.

Glinda reached out a hand to help her up.

Elphaba took it.

"Thank you, Lady Glinda," she said, keeping her eyes downcast as she said the witch's name for what she remembered as the first time.

Glinda waved a hand. "Don't mention it, Elphie." She giggled. The crowd, sensing that nothing more was going to happen, had begun to disperse, and Glinda flung her arms around her best friend. "Oz, I missed you so much, Elphie!"

Elphaba stiffened and pulled away. "I- I'm sorry. My lady. I don't- I can't- remember. You... I'm not Elphie."

Glinda blinked. "You... You _what_?"

"I apologize, my lady." Elphaba dropped a clumsy curtsy and started to go.

"Wait!" Glinda took hold of her hand, receiving a magical shock in return. Elphaba pulled the hand away, fear in her eyes.

"Lady Glinda, don't do that again."

"Elphie-"

By this time, Fiyero had managed to get close to them, and now stood beside Glinda.

"Glinda, we should talk about some things."

"In a minute, I want to catch up with Elphie!"

"Now is really not the best time," said Dorothy said sternly, taking Elphaba's hand and leading her out of the crowd.

Glinda frowned. "Was that... Dorothy? And Dodo?" She's crunched up her face.

"It's Toto," Fiyero corrected.

"I'm pretty sure it's Dodo, Fiyero."

Fiyero stared at her for a moment, then shook his head to clear it. "Look, Glinda, Elphaba-"

"Her memories are gone," Glinda murmured.

Fiyero blinked. "Y- yes. How did you know that?"

"I may not be as adept a sorceress as she is, but I'm still a sorceress. It was a spell. I felt it."

"Who would do that?" Fiyero mumbled rhetorically.

Glinda looked sadly down at her hands. "She- I don't know, I could be wrong- I hope I'm wrong. But I- I think she did it to herself."

Fiyero stared at her. He wanted to be angry with her. He wanted to yell at her and call her a liar, but he couldn't. he felt empty inside.

"Why?" He said, and he had to consciously think about breathing to keep from passing out.

"Well, how should I know?" Glinda snapped.

"You're a sorceress."

"I can only understand the magic's language, not the reasoning behind its usage." But Fiyero caught the glitter of a tear in the corner of her eye.

"But you must have some idea," he pressed.

The blonde nodded slowly. "I suppose..."

"And?"

"She- she cast the spell... The day I announced our engagement." Glinda's eyes filled with tears. "The dates match up. And... I- it's my fault Fiyero. Just like Nessa's death. Everything's all wrong and it's my fault." The liquid spilled over onto her rosy pink cheeks.

And Fiyero desperately wanted- _needed_- to be angry with her. To turn his sadness into anger and vent it. But he couldn't.

Instead, he found himself wrapping his arms around the petite blond girl and whispering into her ear,

"She wouldn't blame you, Glinda."

"She would."

"Maybe not."

"I deserve to be blamed for this."

"Not all of it. Some of it's my fault, too."

**Favorite lines guys? Thanks for reading! **


	12. A Cursed Blessing

**Hello, two updates in one day ikr. Wow I got a lot of reviews last chapter. I was just kinda sad because I went from getting seven reviews per chapter to getting two and I was like "did I do something wrong" I mean, I only lost like one person after east and west ch 15, and that was a totally different situation.**

**Ultimate Queen of Cliffies; I didn't mean ****_you_****, you have an excuse. YOU WERE SEEING WICKED. That trumps keeping up with this story any day. Are you there yet? Have you seen it? If you did how was it?**

**kay luved to reviews last chappie! **

**Favorite lines? **

* * *

She was crying again. Tears dripped down her cheeks and onto her hands. Her _green_ hands.

Dorothy took her away for the crowd at Restwater and sat down beside by a small pond just outside of the town rubbing her back soothingly.

After a few minutes of Elphaba's sobs filling the silence, Dorothy spoke.

"Elphaba, it's okay. Everything is going to be fine now. You're safe and everything is okay."

Elphaba let out another sob. "Dorothy... What _am_ I?"

That threw her. "You- you're Elphaba. You're sweet, kind, caring, wonderful, and amazing you."

"I don't even _know_ myself. Maybe I _should_ have been arrested back there."

"Elphaba, you've done nothing wrong."

"You don't know that," Elphaba whispered sadly.

Dorothy shook her head. "Elphaba-"

"Dorothy, please. I just- I need to be alone right now."

The girl hesitated. She didn't want to leave Elphaba alone in this state. "I'm not sure-"

"_Please_."

Dorothy nodded slowly. "Alright. I'll be close if you need me."

Elphaba nodded mutely, and Dorothy headed off to find Brrr and Toto.

She let out a frustrated growl and dug her jagged fingernails into her emerald flesh, tearing through it as she raked them down her arms.

She hissed and clenched her fists.

Oz. When had everything gotten so awful?

Anger and fear- fear of _herself_- pounded in her ears and filled the silence.

Then;

_Elphaba._

She looked up, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Yes. Who's there?"

_A cursed blessing or a blessed curse. You decide._

The raven haired girl swallowed. "What do you want?"

_I can help you._

By now it was apparent that the voice was _inside_ Elphaba's head rather than outside of it.

"How?" She queried.

But no answer echoed through her mind.

"Are you still there?"

Elphaba let out a frustrated shriek and lashed out at a nearby tree, splitting open the skin on her knuckles.

Sobbing, Elphaba leaned against the tree and let a restless sleep claim her.

* * *

An hour later, Brrr curled up beside here. It was still light out, and at Dorothy's insistence, she Fiyero and Glinda were having a lunch in one of Restwater's many restaurants.

Brrr, however, had elected not to go, and instead to check up on Elphaba.

Finding her asleep, he decided to take advantage of this opportunity and catch up on sleep lost due to nightmares regarding his unrelenting fear of orchids.

So he cuddled close to Elphaba, purring softly as she unconsciously clutched his tail to her chest, as she had so often in the past.

Brrr dragged the tip of his enormous tongue down her cheek.

"Nighty night Elphie."

**Sooooooo hi.**


	13. I Dreamed a Dream

**Hihi everyone!**

**this chappie should be kinda satisfying. **

**Just gonna post it now;**

* * *

_Their hands touched. Their eyes met. It was silent for a moment. Adrenaline coursed in her veins._

_"I'd better get to safety. I mean, the Cub. Get the Cub. To safety."_

Elphaba's eyes snapped open, the ghost of the young man's azure eyes throbbing in her temples.

Something soft brushed her cheek, and she looked down to see Brrr's fuzzy tail in her hands.

She started to let it go, but instead found herself cuddling closer to his warmth, which she found very present, for though it had stopped nearly completely now, the rain had drenched her cloak and dress thoroughly on their trek to Restwater.

Elphaba smiled softly and buried her face in Brrr's soft mane. The Lion, too, curled closer to her and wrapped his tail around her shoulders.

The green girl sighed contentedly and closed her eyes again.

_Do you see now?_

Elphaba jumped. "Do I see what?" She whispered.

_How I can help you_.

The raven haired girl chewed her lip uncertainly. "No. Not exactly."

_I sent you a memory._

Elphaba frowned. "You did?"

She felt the voice frown too, and could hear the distaste when it spoke again. _The dream. Of Fiyero._

For some reason, the mention of his name made her heart leap. "That... Was a memory?"

No response came to her. She sighed again in frustration.

Then heavy footsteps approached.

"Elphaba? Brrr? We're going to leave now, we should cross the Vinkun boarder by nightfall."

Brrr, who was still asleep, stirred slightly. Elphaba stood and looked up at Fiyero. He was a good deal taller than she, with large rough hands that she couldn't help but think would be perfectly compatible with her own.

Fiyero grinned. "Should we wake him?"

Elphaba glanced at the Lion. "In a minute. I need to- to talk to you."

Fiyero's lip twitched like he was trying not to smile. "So, talk."

Elphaba took a breath. "I- I had a dream. And... You were in it." She shook her head. "Only, I don't think it was a dream. It was too vivid." She didn't want to tell him about the voice in her head. He'd think she was crazy. And why did she _care_? She didn't know.

"You dreamed about me?" Fiyero asked, grinning broadly and reaching out a hand to her.

She shied away. "But- like I said- I don't think it was a dream." She proceeded to tell him what had happened in the "dream", beginning with them running out of class and saving the Lion Cub, and ending with him leaving.

Fiyero was- to put it mildly- shocked.

He ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Look Elphaba... That happened. I don't know why you started remembering now, or anything, and you haven't remembered anything else, right?" She shook her head. Fiyero nodded and continued. "But the thing is... Oz, you might want to kill me for saying this, but Elphaba, I'm in love with you. I have been for a long time."

Elphaba blushed and looked down.

"We- should go soon. Dorothy and Glinda will be waiting," he said, trying to change the subject.

"Fiyero?"

"Yes?"

"What is love like?"

Fiyero considered her. "Love is... Love is what I feel when I look at you. It's just... The best feeling in the world."

"How do you know?"

"I just... Know. It's like taking a breath of sweet, fresh air after breathing dust for a week. It's like being pulled from the darkness into the light. It's just... Perfect." Fiyero blushed.

Elphaba considered him. She looked into his bright blue eyes and felt a faint fluttery feeling in her chest, and then she had to wonder;

Was this love?

**Aww. Fiyeraba. Favorite lines?**


	14. The Matter of Stalking

**hey guys, sorry for the long wait... I had a really busy week. and sorry, too, that this chapter is relatively short and filler-ish. **

**Good news; I gained three new reviewers! Haha! **

**Ultimate Queen of Cliffies; AW. I wish I were seeing wicked too. BUT WE CAN ALL CELEBRATE BY BELTING NO GOOD DEED AND DEFYING GRAVITY ON THE 30th! I honestly considered buying tickets to see it on Broadway... But it was not to be. And yeah I can't highlight my favorite lines either...**

**And thanks to all my reviewers; you guys seriously have to be some of the sweetest people in the world.**

**On a totally unrelated note; LAST NIGHT I WAS GREENIFIED FOR THE FIRST (and hopefully not last) TIME! That was really cool.**

**yeah. So the voice in Elphie's head... You don't really find out what that's about for a while...**

**kk here's the chapter!**

**not mine. Favorite lines?**

* * *

Fiyero woke Brrr up (not an easy feat, I assure you) and the three of them went to meet Dorothy and Glinda near the outskirts of Restwater.

Fiyero wondered briefly as they approached them if Dorothy had brought up the Wizard's lying-cheating-ratness, but by the expression on Glinda's face he guessed not. Despite her height- or lack thereof- Glinda could be intimidating.

As Fiyero, Elphaba, and Brrr neared them, a thought crossed the Vinkun boy's mind; Was Glinda stalking them?

It was only when he saw Glinda looking at him like he was Frex that he realized he'd voiced his concerns out loud.

"Fiyero Tiggular, I am not _stalking_ you. I was _not_ stalking you at Shiz, and I am _not_ stalking you _now_!"

Fiyero had a brief flashback to a similar situation back at Shiz, when he'd come across a beaker labelled "Fifi's hair", while attempting to, ironically, find a piece of Elphaba's hair to save and treasure for all eternity.

He blushed. "Did I say _stalking_? No. I meant... Uh... I don't know what I meant, I forgot. But I did not mean _stalking_."

Glinda rolled her eyes. "You're out of practice, Tiggular. But allow me to assure you that I was most certainly not stalking you."

Fiyero crossed his arms. "Oh really? Then why are you here?"

Glinda threw her arms in the air. "I felt bad that we parted on such bad terms, and the Munchkins told me that you were headed to the Vinkus by way of Restwater, so I wanted to meet you here."

Fiyero blinked. "You... What now?"

"I wanted to make things right." Glinda blushed. "I did cover for you, in the city. I said you had a family emergency. And I am sorry about what I did to Nessa. I really am."

Fiyero sighed. "I forgive you you, Glinda. I won't tell you that it's okay, because it's not, but I forgive you. And I'm sorry too. I was pretty hard on you in Munchkinland."

"I probably deserved it."

"That doesn't give me the right to say what I did."

Glinda's lips curled into a dainty smile. "So are we good?"

Fiyero laughed. "Yeah, we're good, Glin."

And Glinda breathed a sigh of relief before turning to Elphaba. "Elphie?"

Elphaba looked up and met Glinda's cerulean eyes with her chocolate ones. "Yes, Lady Glinda?"

Glinda winced at hearing her title fall from her best friend's lips. "Just Glinda, Elphie. Please."

"Alright... Glinda."

Glinda smiled and wrapped her friend in a warm hug. "Be safe, Elphie."

And Elphaba, surprisingly, returned the gesture.

And then the group of travellers bid the Northern Witch farewell, and headed down the Yellow Brick Road, toward the Vinkun boarder.

Brrr was too tired to skip.


	15. Train ride to Janix

**Hi everyone. Sorry it's taken so long to post, and this is kind of a filler chappie... Sorry. Kay, thanks for all the reviews... You guys rock!**

**also, I'm going to start posting another story called Almost-Emerald Green, but not just yet cuz I'm kinda old school and actually write in this thing called a notebook. I know, gasp. Also I published a oneshot titled Fiyero buys a car for the tenth anniversary.**

**wicked isn't mine QUIT JUDGING ME!**

* * *

The travelers did indeed reach the Vinkun boarder by nightfall. It was around nine o'clock that they reached Alton, and it was a very chipper Dorothy that checked into the Blue Diamond Hotel.

Fiyero was, naturally, welcomed with open arms. Dorothy's foreign attire was not questioned, and Elphaba's emerald skin attracted very little attention amid the diverse population.

They spent the night in Alton and rose early in the morning.

"We can take a train from here to Janix, and from there to Riverra," Fiyero informed his companions.

Dorothy stared at him. Elphaba stared at him. Brrr was afraid to make eye contact, but his expression was shocked.

Fiyero shifted under their gazes. "What?"

Dorothy sighed. "So, we've spent the last week walking from sunrise to sunset down that _cursed_ Yellow Brick Road, when we could have taken a _train_?"

"Umm... No. We were in the middle of a forest until Restwater, with does _not_ have a train station. We haven't had a chance to do anything but walk since Munchkinland."

"So why didn't Glinda just put me on a train to the Emerald City when we were in Munchkinland?" Dorothy asked.

"Trains don't accept dogs- or Dogs- what with the recent Animal Banns."

"Then why didn't _you_ take a train out of Munchkinland?"

Fiyero scoffed. "Please. Have you _seen_ the size of Munchkin vehicles. Tiiiiiinyyy."

Dorothy rolled her eyes. "They wouldn't adjust the size of a _train_ to fit munchkin height. Brainless."

The girl seemed to find the expression on Fiyero's face hilarious, because she lapsed into a fit if giggles (well, they sounded more like cackles, ironically).

Fiyero, in an effort to avoid certain humiliation, waked briskly in front of his companions.

They boarded the train, the only hiccup being that- technically- Brrr was an Animal, and therefore not allowed to board, but- technically- this was the Vinkus, where the Animal Banns were nonexistent and Fiyero was able to get him on the train. So the Lion made himself comfortable in Car C, with Toto, who'd become infatuated with him sometime in the past week of travel.

Fiyero left his borrowed Munchkinland horse with a horse breeder, figuring that he'd just as well not have to deal with an animal on the train.

Dorothy joined the dog and the Lion in Car C, leaving Elphaba and Fiyero alone.

Over the course of the five hour ride, Fiyero made several attempts at starting conversation, but Elphaba dismissed him every time, her gaze remaining fixed on the Vinkun scenery speeding by.

By the time the train stopped in Janix, he was legitimately discouraged.

Yet it made him love her all the more.

**So favorite lines? **


	16. Riverra

**hi, it's me again! Oz, I haven't updated this in a week, I think. Well, sorry about that. I've been busy. But I promise I'll keep updating at least once a week.**

**thanks for your Ozsome reviews guys.**

**wicked is not mine. Nope.**

* * *

After traveling through the night from Janix, they reached Riverra around ten AM the next day.

They climbed- or, well, in Brrr's case "leaped" is a more accurate term- off the train and started through the city toward Kiamo Ko.

Riverra was a large city, and on foot it would take about a day to get to the castle, but seeing as Fiyero was a prince, and that was kind of a big deal, there was a large welcoming committee as they stepped out of the train station.

Dorothy had seen Fiyero as a cold, bitter soon-to-be monarch, or possibly simply a stuck up, scruffy looking, conceited prince, but was- annoyingly- surprised as the tall Vinkun boy smiled and talked with people- mostly children- who he probably didn't even know all that well.

The little children of Riverra ran to him as they would a brother, and Fiyero greeted them as such.

He knew everyone by name, and commented warmly on how much Elroy had grown, or how Suzie looked like her mother, or how lucky Jonah was to have gotten into an elite university.

Little girls bashfully presented him with bouquets of wildflowers (and a few kissed him on the cheek). One man, whom Fiyero referred to as "Uncle Howard", had shown up with a large carriage to drive to travelers to Kiamo Ko.

They climbed- or, in Brrr's case, squeezed- into the vehicle, and then Howard started the horses (well, Dorothy assumed they were indeed horses and not Horses, but she was not yet adept at seeing the difference), and they started toward the castle.

* * *

Upon reaching Kiamo Ko, the group was met with hearty welcomes and- in Fiyero's case- hugs and kisses from the rest of the Tiggular family.

Elphaba hung back, nervously fiddling with the long sleeves of her black dress.

"So we finally get to meet the famous Miss Elphaba," a tall man- who Elphaba assumed was Fiyero's father- said warmly.

Elphaba took a step back from the imposing man. He was only a little taller than Fiyero, but the prince was already much taller than the green girl; her head came only to just below his shoulders.

She wondered briefly if Fiyero had explained her intubation to his parents, but then realized he couldn't have, as he'd had no contact with them since meeting her- or, well, _remeeting_ her, if that was a word.

Fiyero placed a firm hand on his father's shoulder, signaling that he stop his advance. The King stopped walking, and Elphaba let out a sigh.

Then Fiyero hugged his mother and a little girl, who took her thumb out of her mouth to say "I missed you, Yero." He lifted her into his arms.

"I missed you too, Sal."

Sal looked up at Elphaba. "Hello." She wiggled her little fingers.

"Hi," Elphaba whispered, blushing. She guessed this was Fiyero's sister.

The Vinkun boy grinned, first at Elphaba then at his sister. "Elphaba, this is my sister, Salinea. Sal, meet Elphaba."

Salinea buried her face in Fiyero's neck.

By this time, Brrr- who'd been struggling to squeeze out of the carriage, now toppled over and onto the ground.

"Oh. My. Oz." Salinea stared at the Lion with wide eyes. "You are the cutest thing since... EVER!"

She squirmed out of Fiyero's arms and ran to Brrr.

"Oh, goodness," Brrr whimpered. "I'm _so_ afraid of little girls."

Salinea frowned, then said decidedly. "I'm going to dress you up!"

"Oh, no, I'm so afraid of dressing up!"

Dorothy snorted a laugh. "Oh, go on Brrr. It can't be that bad."

"All my dress up stuff is in the South Tower. We'll go there," Salinea said firmly. "Unless you are also afraid of heights."

Brrr scoffed. "That's preposterous. What kind if Lion do you think I am?"

* * *

"Will you be comfortable here, sweetheart?" Fiyero's mother- Queen Caria- asked Elphaba as she opened the door to the set of rooms the green girl would be using while she was in the Vinkus.

Elphaba nodded mutely.

"Alright. Just let me know if you need anything."

Another nod.

Caria sighed. Elphaba took it that Fiyero had explained to them now. The gap queen turned and walked out of the room, leaving Elphaba alone.

The room was nice. It had clean painted pale green walls, and the kind of bouncy carpet that feel especially good on bare feet.

She didn't get to enjoy it for long, however.

_Are you ready?_ The voice in her head asked.

"Yes," she whispered.

**Favorite lines?**


	17. Correspondence

**hi everyone! So, this chapter is quite important. **

**Alright, the narration for Elphaba's time in the Vinkus is set up in a letter format. Fiyero and Glinda are writing to each other, but it's still that awkward phase after their fight, so the letters are more like notes...**

**Disclaimer; consider it disclaimed**

* * *

Glinda,

We've arrived at Kiamo Ko. As far as I can tell, Elphaba seems to be happy here.

How are things in the City?

Hope you're well,

Fiyero

* * *

Fiyero,

I honestly considered addressing this to "my dearest darlingest FiFi McCutikins flufflebug". Then I figured you wouldn't be too appreciative of that.

Things here are okay. I mean, I miss you amd so you know, Morrible's starting to wonder what your "family emergency" is, and frankly, I'm not about to tell her that you need time to catch up with your memory-less girlfriend, who just happens to be her mortal enemy.

How is Elphie? Has she remembered anything yet?

Hugs and bubbles,

Glinda Arduenna Upland of the Upper Uplands

* * *

Glinda,

First, thanks for addressing me simply as my name. It was much apprieciated. Second, thanks again for covering for me in the City. You can just tell Morrible that my sister is sick, (I mean, she's pretty much drunk on ribbons and glitter, and Brrr's getting there too.)

Elphaba's been dreaming her memories.

She's only told me about one, but I know there have been more. Yesterday she slipped and brought up Nessarose.

She mostly stays away from me. It's painful to be so close to her and not be able to tell her I love her.

But it isn't just me, either. She tends to avoid all men. Everyone from my father to my twelve-year-old brother. This supports your theory that she cast the spell once she learned of our engagement. It's like she's trying to keep from getting hurt by not falling in love.

I don't know, Glin. She's like a different girl.

Well, I'll be in touch.

Fiyero

* * *

Fiyero,

First; you're welcome, and you're welcome.

Second; FiFi, you have to give her time. She isn't a different girl, she still our Elphie. You have to know that. And she's remembering. Just be patient with her.

See you soon, FiFi.

Lots of love and huggles,

Glinda Arduenna Upland of the Upper Uplands

* * *

Glin,

I wasn't planning on writing today, but Elphaba dreamed another memory. She didn't tell me; she never does, but today she mentioned "Galinda."

I'm not sure what she remembers, exactly, but she did mention you.

I don't know when I'll be able to return to the City; I'm not about to leave Elphaba here with no one who understands, but soon Morrible is going to realize that there's no family emergency.

Maybe I'll return after my birthday. Or perhaps later. It really depends on Elphaba.

I don't know, Glin.

Until I see you,

Fiyero (and yes, I've resigned myself to "FiFi" but if you ever call me that in front of my family, "Glinny- Bear" won't be a secret either)

**Favorite lines?**


End file.
